So the planet is heating up due to global warming, gas prices are high, oil comes from a Mideast more unstable than ever, and my car isn’t particularly fuel-efficient. I’ve seen Who Killed The Electric Car? and An Inconvenient Truth. And, naturally I’m a geek, one with a pioneer spirit. Thus its should be no surpise that I’ve been looking at electric vehicles, or EVs.
I checked out my first EV in April. A member of the Triangle EAA electric car club was selling one of its member’s cars. I was impressed until the test drive revealed a slight problem. As I rounded the first turn, the car stalled. Something apparently went wrong with the battery pack. Not knowing what an electric car was all about, I got cold feet about it and bought a far more environmentally-friendly vehicle instead.
Fast forward to December. This weekend I attended my first Triangle EAA meeting. Surrounded by veteran EV owners, I gained a lot of knowledge about EVs as well as a comfort that if anything should go wrong there is an EV posse to back me up. Knowing what I know now, I could have easily fixed up that stalling car.
EVs are actually much simpler than internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. You have basic parts: a motor, a controller, battery pack, charger, and perhaps a DC-DC converter. Gone are the engine, transmission, fuel tank, radiator, and most other parts that need oil.
EV owners tend to be tinkerers, as well as budding mechanics. That’s because there are currently (hah!) few repair options that don’t involve your own two hands. That’s why clubs like the Triangle EAA are so helpful. You’ve got experienced EV owners who are willing to lend a hand to new EV owners. To buy an EV at this point, you need to trust your skills at troubleshooting. Fortunately, unlike gas engines, working on EVs is anything but a dirty, greasy job. Your handiest tool is a multitester and your mechanical knowledge is mostly simple electric theory.
The one thing that I’m having a tough time understanding is the battery technology. There is a myriad of choices for batteries: lead acid, nickel cadmium, lithion ion, lithion polymer. There’s flooded (wet) cells, gel cells, and AGM (absorbed glass mat) cells. You need at least 13 batteries to power most EVs. Each battery can cost between $100 to $2000, depending on the technology. Each kind has advantages and drawbacks. It’s kind of mind boggling.
With all these battery choices, finding your ideal EV is only half the battle. You’re shopping as much for the batteries as you are for the car.
Since the batteries are likely to be half (or more) of your investment, it makes sense to buy the best charger you can afford in order to keep your batteries running optimally. There are various choices here, too, though not as wide open as the battery choice. I’ve learned that a lot of chargers can be programmed to match whatever batteries they are charging.
Battery technology has coome a long way recently. New technologies are hitting the market which might literally revolutionize transportation. At this point the price for such technology is still out of reach of most drivers. Even so, affordable options exist to make it possible for many to commute solely by electricity.
I’ve still got a lot to learn about EVs. I don’t yet know if one is right for me. On the other hand I seem to have the abilities needed to be a successful EVer. If I can’t make it work, who can?
I’m happy to take MT.Net readers along for the ride as I learn more about this technology.
What is the mileage per charge?
How long does it take to charge the batteries to capacity?
How often do you replace batteries because they refuse to hold a charge?
How do you dispose of the old batteries (especially the more exotic ones)?
Of course, the answers to these all depends on the type of batteries. Sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries have a range of about 50 miles, which is good for most people’s commutes. Newer battery types, such as Lithium Polymer (LiPoly) get anywhere between 100-200 miles.
Most battery packs can be charged to 80% capacity in a few hours.
Battery life depends on how they’re charged and discharged. Different battery types have different characteristics. See the Battery FAQ for much more info on this.
Ah, disposal. The toughest question of all. A lot of these materials are hazardous waste: NiCads, for instance. I don’t want to be saving the environment of carbon dioxide only to be polluting it with toxic metals in a landfill.
Interestingly enough, an RTP-based lab recently announced the creation of a battery using inexpensive, safe materials such as carbon and plastic. The lab has no manufacturing ability, so these safe batteries aren’t going to be available anytime soon. With luck, though, other safe technologies will follow.